Our Pastor

The Rev. Mary L. Mitchell, Senior Pastor of Bartley Temple United Methodist Church since July 2011. She is a native of Lake Providence, Louisiana. She accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior at the age of 11 and in 1995 she responded to the call to ministry.

Rev. Mitchell received an Associate of Science in Biology from Los Angeles City College, Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Organizational Management from Edward Waters College and a Master of Divinity degree at Asbury Theological Seminary in Orlando, FL.

In June of 2011, Pastor Mitchell was ordained as a provisional Elder in the United Methodist Church and on June 18, 2016 her 56th birthday she was ordained Elder in Full Connection in the United Methodist Church.

Rev. Mitchell is a devoted wife and mother. She married to a loving husband A. Gary Mitchell. They are the proud parents of 7 children and 11 Grandchildren.

Our Associate Pastor

Rev. Milford L. Griner has served as the associate pastor of Bartley Temple United Methodist Church since July, 2016. Prior to this appointment, he had served twelve churches in both Alachua and Marion counties as senior pastor since his very first appointment in 1987 after completing required training and education.

Rev. Griner received the call by God into ministry in 1984 while a member of Bartley Temple, and in 1985 was licensed as a local pastor after attending school at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Currently, Rev. Griner is enrolled as a seminary student through the Course of Study program at Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia.

A native of Philadelphia, PA, Rev. Griner has lived in Gainesville, Florida since 1976, and has been married to his lovely wife, Mae since 1988. Mae is a deaconess in the Florida Conference. Together, The Griners, who are both very active at Bartley Temple under the leadership of Rev. Mitchell, have four adult children and 8 grandchildren.